The artwork titled “Boy with Hand to Face” was created by Egon Schiele in 1910, during a period of rich cultural activity in the Czech Republic. It is a watercolor on paper that falls under the umbrella of the Expressionist movement. The artwork measures 43 by 33 centimeters and is categorized as a portrait. Currently, it is held in a private collection.
In the artwork, Schiele composes a figure of a boy with his hand raised to his face in a contemplative or perhaps distressed gesture. The use of brown and sepia tones confers a somber mood to the piece. The boy’s posture and the expressiveness of his obscured face suggest introspection or emotional turmoil, which is accentuated by the medium’s inherent fluidity and the visible brushstrokes. The simplicity of the background focuses the viewer’s attention entirely on the figure, while the bold contours define the shape of the boy, giving weight to his form. Schiele’s characteristic emphasis on raw, emotional expression is evident in this portrayal, aligning with the broader ideals of the Expressionist art movement that sought to convey psychological states and subjective experiences.
